Fourteen years after One Direction launched on The X Factor, music mogul and television star Simon Cowell is on the hunt for Britain’s next big boy band and is launching a new project that’s different from the talent shows he’s known for.
Cowell will hold auditions for 16- to 18-year-olds in Liverpool, Dublin and London this summer to develop megastars of the sort not seen in Britain since the best-selling One Direction. The band rose to fame on their televised singing competition The X Factor before splitting up a few years later.
“Funny thing is, there hasn’t been a successful British band since One Direction and I don’t understand why,” Cowell said in an interview with Reuters.
“As a way to get into the music business, it’s by far the best way. Diana Ross became Diana Ross because she was in the Supremes. Beyoncé became Beyoncé because she was in Destiny’s Child.”
Unlike “The X Factor,” there will be no weekly television shows or votes, but possibly a documentary series.
“As a viewer, I would find it more interesting, especially if I were a performer. I would really like to see why people are chosen and the process they go through,” Cowell said.
“In my opinion, that’s never really been shown, at least not since I’ve been doing these shows… you see one side of it. I don’t think you really see the interesting part… the highs and the lows. And believe me, there are a lot of lows.”
“The X Factor” was last broadcast in the UK in 2018. The once very popular show has seen declining ratings over the years.
“More people than you think are watching these shows … Now of course in other ways – on YouTube, TikTok,” Cowell said. “I think they’re still very popular.”
He said talent shows had one purpose: to help new artists get noticed.
“There are so many songs being uploaded every day at the moment and so many artists breaking through worldwide. I think in seven years about two artists from the UK have made it global. It’s terrible.”
“…Many of these artists get their first break (on televised talent shows)… Even their first audition is a step up the ladder if it airs and goes viral.”
In recent years, K-pop bands like BTS have become hit phenomena and built a global fan base.
“K-pop filled a gap,” Cowell said. “So when I watch BTS at Wembley, I think: Of course there’s still a market for bands, maybe even a bigger one than ever before.”
Cowell, who said his ideal boy band consists of “people who know who they are,” began his search earlier this month. Asked what kind of response he has received so far, he said: “You really don’t know until you turn up on the day itself… If not enough people turn up or I just don’t think they’re the right ones, then we have to move on.”
